Gas drilling has been happening in New York State since the 1800s. What is troubling is the new process of hydrofracking shale. The amounts of water used, the chemicals used, the pressure created all have impacts....mostly on our drinking water. It seems unwise to risk one natural resource to extract another when it is thought the gas will actually run out within 50 years. We will need fresh water long after that.

Very eye opening is that former Texas gas and oil men retired to the area are very concerned about the safety of this industry. Practices and technology used in the arid flat lands of Texas are ill suited to wet, hilly New York.

The state and DEC need to impose regulations that make sense here, not in Texas.

So at the end of the day will this be worth the risk? Is it actually financially viable when resurfacing roads, trucking waste out of the state and paying for the huge volume of water needed to do this are taken into account. To help you decide here are some websites with more information: